Patterning mechanism of knitting machines



N GEL 18, 1947, s. WELDERS FETAL PATTERNING MECHANISM OF KNITTING MACHINES Filed Julyfi, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5202 2 PM; M 7,4 5

v Inventms r B Joana Nov. 18, 1947. G. WILDERS ETAL PATTERNING MECHANISM OF KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG/a NOV. 18, 1947. wlLDERS ETAL' v 2,431,218

PATTERNING MECHANISM OF KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ir wentors W69 w EM B a 4% f g Attorney Patented Nov. 18, 1947 PATTERNING MECHANISM OF KNITTING MACHINES George Wilders, Kegworth, and John E. Lynam,

Mapperley, England, assignors to William Cotton Limited, Loughborough, England Application July 5, 1945, Serial No. 603,374 In Great Britain April 7, 1944 7 Claims.

This invention concerns the patterning mechanism of knitting machines, primarily Cottons Patent and other Straight bar knitting machines, and one object is a construction of patterning mechanism whereby elements of the machine may be selectively moved by power means.

The mechanism provided by this invention comprises a set of individually-movable patterning members, a set of actuating members associated therewith and selectivelymovable each between alternative positions at least one of which is an operative position in which it is positioned ready to move an associated patterning member, at least one patterning device (such for example as a drum, chain, a series of discs, or the like) for selectively moving said actuating members, and power means for effecting relative bodily displacement between said sets and for thereby causing any operatively positioned actuating member to move its associated patterning member. It will be appreciated that, the patterning members being connected to those elements of the machine that it is required to move selectively, the patterning device is relieved of the duty of producing this movement and its functions are confined to the selection of the actuating members. Preferably there are two alternative operative positions of the actuating members, whereby the patterning members may be moved between two alternative positions. It is further preferred that the actuating members shall be bodily displaceable as aforesaid, although it is within the scope of the invention to displace the patterning members.

The foregoing, and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims, are incorporated in the construction that will now be described, as an example of a patterning mechanism that is suitable for a Cottons Patent or other straight bar knitting machine, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1A is a side elevation of a patterning mechanism according to this invention;

Figure 1B is a continuation, to the left, of Fig. 1A and is a side elevation of pattern drum and associated parts for controlling the patterning mechanism;

Figure 2 is an elevation, looking from the left, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;

Figure 3 is a cross-section through the drum of i 1 Figure 4 shows a detail.

Referring primarily to Figs. 1A and 2, the set of patterning members consists of a plurality of arms III pivoted side by side on a spindle I I suitably mounted by bracket l2 in the machine frame whereof the front rail is shown at I3; these arms It are connected to the various elements that it is required to move. For example some of them may be connected to control rods I4 that extend, slidably, lengthwise of the machine to shog trucks or to operate various other devices. Each arm I0 is further provided with two noses IIJa, lub disposed on opposite sides of the axis, so that if one nose is pushed the arm is rocked in one direction and if the other nose is pushed the arm is rocked in the other direction.

The set of actuating members consists of a plurality of levers or actuators I5 pivoted side by side on a spindle I6 carried between the fork arms ll of a lever I! which is pivoted in the machine frame on a spindle I8 and is rocked, to carry the actuating members l5 towards and away from the noses Illa, Illb of the patterning members ID, by power derived from a truck lever I9 operated by a cam 20 on the main cam shaft 2|. Each actuating lever I5 has its end bifurcated to provide two fingers I5a, l5b and is movable between two alternative positions in one of which one finger is registered with one nose of the associated patterning arm I0 and in the other of which the other finger is registered with the other nose. Therefore according to the attitude of the lever I5, as a given set thereof is advanced by lever I1 one or other of the fingers l5a, I5b pushes against the associated nose Ina, lb and the appropriate arm Ill is rocked in one direction or the other. The set of actuating members I5 is retracted by a spring 22 attached to an extension of one of the fork arms [1.

The fingers I5a, I5b of the actuators I5 are provided with slots 23a, 231) which co-operate with fixed blades 24a, 24b, the arrangement being that when one of the fingers, such as the finger l-5b in Fig. 1A, has been rocked into the operative position in which it registers with the associated nose of a patterning arm, one of the slots is brought into register with one of the blades (slot 23a being in register with blade 24a in Fig. 1A) and engages it after a small initial advance of the set of actuating members so that thereafter that particular actuating member is locked in angular position. This, in conjunction with the scissors mechanism now to be described, permits a fresh selection of the actuating members to be prepared while the previous selection is in operation, the actual change to the fresh selection only being made when the actuating members have been withdrawn clear of the blades 24a, 24b.

Each actuating member I5 ha a downward extension I50 carrying a pin 25 received between a pair of scissor jaws 25a, 25b pivoted on a shaft 21 and drawn together by spring 28. The jaws further receive a pin 23 on a lever 30 also pivoted on shaft 21 and biassed by a return spring attached to its arm 33', there being a lever 30 for each pair of jaws 26a, 26b and for each actuating member l5. Thus when a selected lever 30 is rocked in one direction or the other, one of the scissor arms 25a, 23b is moved and the spring 28 is tensioned so that immediately the actuating member is freed from a blade 2411 or 24b said spring moves the other scissor arm and therefore moves the associated actuating member.

These levers 33 are selectively moved by at least one cyclic patterning device; there may be a plurality of such devices each controlling at least one lever and there may be at least one of the levers which is controlled by a plurality of the devices. In the present example the levers 30 that are embraced by the bracket 30A in Fig. 2 are controlled by the patterning device shown in Fig. lBthrough connections 32A and those that are embraced by the bracket 35B are controlled by a patterning device which is indicated generally by the numeral 33 in Fig. 1A; furthermore (as shown by the overlap between the brackets) some of the levers are controlled by both devices.

Turning now to Figs. 13 and 3, the cyclic patterning device is therein illustrated by way of example as consisting of a drum 34 mounted on a boss 35 which if desired can be an extension on the side of the existing end gear guard 35. It is provided with a rack wheel 3'! engaged by a pawl 38 on a lever 38 oscillatable about the drum axis by an arm 45 and link 4|; the pawl 38 is controlled .by a bluff lever 42, link 43, spring 4 and arms 65a and 551) from any suitable control (not shown) such for example as a chain with a single row of studs. Over-racking is prevented by a friction device 46 of known construction, and back-racking by ratchet 41 and spring '48; handracking is accomplished by hand lever 49 and pawl 53. The periphery of the drum is equipped with rows of studs 5| in the required pattern layout which operate a set of stud levers 52 pivoted .at 53 and these in turn operate the connections 32A, 323. Each such connection consists of a tubular sheath 32a with a plunger 32b at each end connected by a close-coiled spring 320, and it follows that pressure on a plunger 321) at the drum end projects the plunger at the other end of the sheath, the plungers being returned by springs 3IA, 3IB.

The drum 35 controls the group-of levers 30A directly through connections 32A and controls the group of levers 35B indirectly through the patterning device 33 and connections 32B. This-device 33 consists of-a plurality of cyclic patterning units, one for each lever of group 303. Thesaid units are illustrated, by way of example, a each consisting of a pattern disc 3.3a.

These discs 33a have notched peripheries engaged by arms I30 of the levers of group 30B, are each provided with a rack wheel 33b, and

are individually rotatable on a common stationary shaft 55. For each rack Wheel 3.31) there isa pawl or clawker 55 for racking it. These pawls or clawkers 5.5 are pivoted side by side on a fixed axis 56 on a lever 5! which .is rocked about its ,pivot 58 by a connection 59 from the lever [J which carries the actuating members l5 so that, providing they are not blufied or otherwise rendered inoperative, each time the set of actuating members moves in one direction the operative pawls or clawkers rack their associated pattern discs 33a. The said pawls or clawkers 55 are selectively released, or rocked to a position in which they engage their rack wheels 3312, by the drum 34 and connections 32B, each of the latter being arranged to push against one of a set of levers pivoted at 51, the said levers being returned by springs 31B against tails 55 on the clawkers.

There may be at least one lever 30 that is movable by each of a plurality of the discs 33a, ithe'said lever having a lateral extension or feeler 130 that spans said plurality. Thi particular lever 30 maybe void of an arm 35, as is indicated in Fig. 2 by the blank space marked X, in which case only this one of the group of levers 35B is controlled indirectly through the device 33. Alternatively or in addition there may be a lever 30 having a projection 30 for direct control by drum 34 in addition to a feeler (such as that indicated at 1130a in Fig. 2) which spans a plurality of discs 33a-and thereby provides for indirect control from the drum 34 through the device 33.

The device 33 will, in general, be employed for fashioning and thediscs 33a will be cut out to provide various spacings for the fashionings. Thus'when anappropriate stud5l on drum 34 allows one of the pawls 55 to come into operation =the co-operating disc 33a will commence to rack and will cause the machine to fashion at predetermined intervals according to the cutting of :that .disc. This will continue Without further movement of drum 34 until the latter is racked to bluif the pawl .55.

Alternatively or in addition there may be at :least one lever :movable by a single disc or each of a plurality of levers may be provided with its .own disc.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the pattern 'discss3lia are racked, to change the selection of the actuating lever or levers controlled thereby, during displacement of the aforesaid set of actuating .levers in one direction and the actuating levers are ;moved:into contact with the noses llla, lilb of the patterning arms I0 and rock the latter during displacement of said set in the opposite direction.

We claim:

1. In a knitting machine, patterning mechanismcomprising a set of patterning members individually movable to and fro, a set of actuating members associated therewith and selectively movable each between two alternative positions each ;of whichis an operative position in which it is positioned .ready to move an associated patterning member, power means for effecting relative bodilydisplacement between said sets and for thereby causing the actuating members to move the associated patterning members in one direc- -tion;or the other according to the positions occuipiedbysaid actuating members, means for lockdividually-movable to and fro about a pivot and each having two noses whereby it may be rocked in one direction or the other by pressure on the appropriate nose, a set of actuating members associated therewith and selectively movable each between two alternative positions for engagement with either of the two noses of an associated patterning member, at least one patterning device for selectively moving the actuating members between their alternative positions, and power means for effecting relative bodily displacement between the two sets and for thereby causing the actuating members to press on and move those noses, of the patterning members, for engagement with which they have been prepared by the selection.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the actuating members are pivotally movable between their alternative positions and each of them has a pair of fingers operable respectively in the two positions.

5. In aknitting machine, a patterning mechanism comprising a set of patterning members, individually movable to and fro; a set of actuating members associated therewith and selectively movable each between two alternative positions each of which is an operative position in which it is positioned ready to move an associated patterning member; at least one patterning device for selectively moving said actuating members, between their alternative positions; power means for efiecting relative bodily displacement between said sets and for thereby causing the actuating members to move the associated patterning members in one direction or the other according to the positions accupied by said actuating members; and means for locking said actuating members in the selected position during the bodily displacement and for making a fresh selection thereof while they are locked.

6. In a knitting machine, a patterning mechanism comprising a set of patterning members individually movable to and fro; a set of actuating members associated therewith and selectively movable each between two alternative positions each of which is an operative position in which it is positioned ready to move an associated patterning member; a. plurality of patterning devices one of which is moving at least one of said actuating members between its alternative positions and another of which is moving at least one other of said actuating members between its alternative positions; and power means for effecting relative bodily displacement between said sets and for thereby causing the actuating members to move the associated patterning members in one direction or the other according to the positions occupied by said actuating members.

7. In a knitting machine, a patterning mechanism comprising a set of patternin members individually movable to and fro; a set of actuating members associated therewith and selectively movable each between two alternative positions each of which is an operative position in which it is positioned ready to move an associated patterning member; a plurality of patterning devices one of which is controlling movement of at least one of said actuating members between its alternative positions, another of which is controlling movement of at least one other of said actuating members between its alternative positions and two of which are controlling movement of at least one other of said actuating members between its alternative positions; and power means for effecting relative bodily displacement between said sets and for thereby causing the actuating members to move the associated patterning members in one direction or the other according to the positions occupied by said actuating members.

GEO. WILDERS. J. E. LYNAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,992,982 Zippel Mar. 5, 1935 2,324,221 Luhn July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 651,082 Germany Oct. 7, 1937 656,159 Germany Jan. 31, 1938 

